In the past, in the joining together in edge-to-edge relation formed or extruded panel-type members, for example, aluminum strakes used to cover the side walls of a transportation type vehicle such as a bus or rail car, it has been common practice to form adjoining edge portions of the strakes for overlapping engagement with each other, and then to secure the overlapped edge portions together with a row of rivets. A groove usually is provided to receive the heads of each row of rivets, and after the rivets are set, each such groove is filled with suitable material such as a mastic screeded in, or a strip set in the groove to cover and conceal the rivet heads.
Such prior strake joints are somewhat costly, involve a substantial amount of labor, and are not readily concealed. They usually are so designed. that the filled material of each groove forms a decorative groove of stripe along the side of the vehicle. This filler material is subject to damage or removal of vandals.
The use of solidifiable liquid or plastic material has been employed previously in various types of interlocked joints, for example, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,266,702, 3,823,525, 3,118,252 and 3,151,767. Such prior joint structures do not, however, provide a strong, plastic key-interlock joint similar, in concept or structure to the present invention; surface conformation of the present joint.